


Bacchanale

by Maharetchan



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Aromantic, Aromantic!Alana Bloom, Character Study, Dinner, Flirting, Gen, Multi, Relationship Discussions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 20:40:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maharetchan/pseuds/Maharetchan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alana, Will and Hannibal have a pleasant dinner together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bacchanale

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. This is everything I ever wanted for these three: nice dinners, flirting, sex, murder and cannibalism. But there are dreams that cannot be ecc so this is my coping mechanism. I do what I want.  
> 2\. I headcanon Alana as aromantic so my characterisation reflects this. i don't want to impose my vision on anyone and I respect your headcanons as long as you respect mines. All the relationships remain on a flirting level in this story.  
> 3\. I have a tumblr ([samiferist](http://samiferist.tumblr.com/) ) so feel free to message me there if you feel like. I'd love it! ^^  
> 4\. My first language is not English and I don't have an English beta reader. So please excuse the grammar mistakes that you'll probably find.  
> 5\. I love comments!

They are supposed to be discussing Abigail and her future after she is finally discharged from the clinic: all the people in the room should hold her interests in the highest regard and dedicate tonight's efforts entirely to them.

And yet, while the conversation never flags, because Hannibal Lecter is a host who knows how to hold the people at his table in the palm of his hand and direct them as he wishes, it seems to go in every direction except where it should.

Maybe it's because of all the wine she has drank already, maybe it's because the soft music playing in the background makes her body relax more than it should, but Alana Bloom can't really find any fault in that, despite her attempts. She takes another bite of her food, some sort of meat dish she has forgotten the name of, so soft and delicate it melts in her mouth and leaves a pleasant taste behind, enriched by the wine.

Hannibal is listening attentively to Will while she watches them: it only now occurs to her that this is the first time they have had the chance to be all together without the intermission of others; it's something rare and unusual, a gift that the recent circumstances make her appreciate even more.

She struggles to focus her attention on one or the other, too busy to examine how they look next to each other, immersed in a conversation she should probably participate to, but that she's happy just to listen to instead.

Will looks so much better now, a soft smile on his face while he talks, his eyes clear and free of the confusion and of the fevered craze that the encephalitis had given them: he has gained some weight too, and she smiles to herself. The disappearance of his illness managed to put their relationship back on trails Alana can feel comfortable on, in a perspective where they have both elected to ignore the accident and go back to a treasured friendship they both care about a lot.

The man offered her an awkward apology for his behavior, for putting her in a difficult position, once released from his long stay at the hospital, that she brushed off with a hug and a laugh, leaving behind the pleasant feeling that comes natural between two people who finally see and understand each other. 

“We are not making you feel left out, I hope?”

Hannibal's eyes turn on her and her smiles widens a little.

“Not at all, I was just... enjoying the food and my own thoughts.”

“You should share them with us. You are always a much needed and appreciated voice at my table. I am constantly tempted to invite you every time I have a guest just to have the pleasure of hearing your opinions.”

Here, right here, is the core of Hannibal's legendary hospitality: his effortless ability to flirt with every guest and make sure nobody feels uncomfortable or out of place.

As long as they sit at his table, they are all treated like kings and queens; it's something that Alana admires with a hint of envy because no matter how much the man can teach her, this she'll never be able to copy or learn that: it's a natural gift.

“Always so charming, I never know how to respond to such compliments.”

Will lets out an amused laugh.

“Now I feel left out... should I leave you two alone?”

"Will, you know I have the same high opinion of you as well."

"One can hope..."

With his health, came back that clever irony both her and Hannibal find suits him much better than the self-deprecating humor he had taken up before: this gives him a charm both amusing and endearing.

Alana shakes her head and returns to her food.

“I have such demanding guests tonight...”

The look the two men exchange doesn't escape her notice as doesn't the brand new tie Will is wearing and that he definitely didn't pick up himself: it makes her feel better about the dress she bought just for the occasion and that was much more expensive than her usual ones.

“Perhaps you should have invited Jack along then. He would have surely taken up all your attention...”

Hannibal smiles really widely at that, like he was just expecting Will to say something like that, to bring up the subject of the big absentee at this dinner.

“And this is precisely the reason why I have not invited him. I don't have much occasion to spend some quality time with the two of you in non-official situation. I think this situation must be corrected.”

“And I agree with that.”

Alana licks her lips without knowing why, after speaking, perhaps because her thoughts are escaping her control and she is wondering about... what other kinds of quality time they could spend together, something that hits buried and old fantasies she prefers not to awake unless she is alone with herself, but that now don't seem to want to go away.

The wine manages to wash some of them away, but not all of them: she makes a mental note to ask Hannibal what are they drinking, thought it'll probably be far too out of her possibilities. 

“You always have such an interesting way to decorate your rooms, keeping such scandalous paintings in the dining room, Dr. Lecter. Such lack of shame...”

Will turns around to glace at the painting behind him and Alana appreciates the hint of blush that colors his cheeks like a kid who is enjoying a well played mischief; he almost never notices such details. Hannibal doesn't move, finishes chewing slowly before replying.

“I appreciate art in all its forms and I do not believe it can be considered... scandalous. After all, nudes and sexuality are two of the oldest themes known to mankind in visual arts, we have simply elected to hide the works with those themes from a wider consumption for own protection from imaginary harms they could cause us.”

“As much as I agree, I wonder what happens when guests who have children come over.”

“In those situations, I replace it with something less explicit.”

Will's eyes darts from him to her and Alana has to make an effort to stop the laugh that is rising from her chest.

“Makes one wonder what kind of paintings you keep in your bedrooms.”

Hannibal stares at Will like he finds him incredibly delicious, like he's just about ready to be consumed and he can't wait to sink his teeth into him; again, those thoughts she should ignore resurface and she takes a deep breath, trying to suppress her emotions and don't let anything show on her face.

“I should give you two a complete tour of the house another time then, so you'll be able to witness my lack of a collections of such kind of artifacts.”

Alana makes a falsely disappointed face.

“Knowing you don't have a secret room filled with erotic painting kinda ruins the image of a decadent aristocrats I had of you... What about the wild nights of sex and debauchery? We are between adults, you can tell us.”

"Have I given you such an impression?"

"Oh maybe. Is there some truth in it?"

Hannibal doesn't reply, but Will laughs and when their eyes meet, there's an understanding that makes her genuinely happy that he's here with them, that they are so comfortable with one another and that all the embarrassments created in the past have simply vanished, hopefully forever.

Alana already had too many important friendships ruined by the inability of others to accept her as she was and is, without trying to give her roles and attributes that were and are not hers: the white dame to win the favor of, the princess to seduce and conquest.

She hated that, hated to feel used for fantasies that repelled her. Losing Will as a friend would have saddened her deeply, but she takes care of herself first, she loves herself more and knows what to do to be happy and serene. Knows that there's nothing wrong with the way she is and feels and that she doesn't own anyone anything. 

Hannibal is another story, a completely different kind of relationship: he's a secret desire that never abandoned her mind, a curiosity that always tickled her and made her wish... things that sometimes she doesn't even admits to herself, but that remained just that, because the man understood her right away.

The three of them fit together with an ease that surprises her and that she never realized before, because the chaos of their lives occupied too much room and crushed and suffocated everything else; Hannibal with his way to oil even the trickiest situation, Will who likes to stand in the corners, and her who enjoys being the voice of reason, but who can let go when she wants to.

Alana hopes in her heart for this to be a fresh and new start for them, without illnesses in between; a chance to build a deeper and stronger kind of friendship.

The rest of the dinner passes by uneventful and pleasant; she remembers how hard it had been for her to keep her cool during the evening with Chilton, to ignore his misogyny and his remarks that tested even Hannibal's patience. He had apologized to her later, after the doctor had left, offering her a ride home and few bottles of his special beer.

Her head is so light, her body so relaxed... she doesn't feel like getting up at all, like she could remain there all night and never feel tired or bored by the company. Even as her imagination takes wild turns again, she lets her go, enjoying the rush of warmth she feels through her body with a smile.

When Hannibal disappears in the kitchen to fetch the desserts, she and Will are left alone and exchange a long look of approval for the evening.

“Always the gracious host...”

The man's laugh echoes in the room.

“The way you two flirt...”

“Oh, he was flirting with you just as much.”

He doesn't say anything for a while, empties his glass and stares at something behind her without really focusing on anything. Alana wonders if he ever had the same kind of thoughts she has, the same... desire to try something that many would frown upon. If somebody with his empathy and his imagination can take the vibes of the atmosphere around him and create, for a change, sensual and enjoyable sequences instead of nightmarish ones.

“He does. He drops little hints here and there and waits to see if you pick on them...”

“He was the same when he was my teacher as well. People... talked behind our back, you know, whispered that we were involved. But nothing ever happened.”

Alana glaces at him and he rises his eyebrows.

“Do you wish it had?”

“Do you wish something could happen?”

Will tries to look embarrassed, but Alana right then knows that their thoughts are the same and it makes her feel a mixture of pleasure, pride and excitement.

“People don't talk behind our back!”

“Oh, you'd be surprised. Chilton seems to be sure you are some sort of sexual deviant prone to orgies and secret rituals. What a prick.”

“And seems to think you're frigid and lost in hopelessly romantic fantasies... Poor man, I wonder who in their right mind gave him a medical license...”

It's Alana's turn to laugh.

“Perhaps they'll talk even more after tonight.”

Will merely smiles.

Hannibal returns with their plates and glances approvingly at their smiling and relaxed faces, taking pride in a evening perfectly planned.

It's only after desserts and a long conversation, again about everything and nothing, in Hannibal's drawing room, that Alana finally notices how late it is and that she'll never be able to safely drive home after so much wine. Will seems to be in the same situation, checking his wallet to make sure he has enough money for a cab.

“Ah, I cannot in good faith let you two leave my house in such a state. I insist you both spend the night here.”

Will stares at the man and then at her, noticing the fact that she's making no effort whatsoever to leave her comfortable sit on the couch. He sits back too, glancing at the man, smiling.

“I really don't want to impose... I can call a taxi and you could take Alana home...”

“Nonsense. My house is... surely big enough to accommodate the two of you comfortably.”

Is there really that hint of lust in Hannibal's eyes when she looks at them or is it just her imagination? Alana bites her lips and laugh softly.

“ I am sure you can.”

Will just laughs too and nods.


End file.
